Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York - as confirmed this evening (Tuesday) by Ukraine's ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk. This will be the first meeting between an Israeli Prime Minister and Zelenskyy since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022. Israel's Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, met with the Ukrainian President earlier this year during his visit to Kyiv.
The meeting follows a phone conversation between Netanyahu and Zelenskyy last week, marking the first time they spoke since Netanyahu's government was sworn in last December. According to the Prime Minister's Office, "Both leaders discussed the continuation of Israeli assistance to Ukraine, including refugees from Ukraine residing in Israel, as well as ongoing efforts to promote and enhance civil defense systems. The Prime Minister also raised the need to ensure the arrival of pilgrims to Uman this year in order to secure religious freedom."
Zelenskyy further explained that he discussed with Netanyahu possible ways for Israel to support Ukraine in resisting Russia's invasion. According to him, Netanyahu raised the issue of increasing the number of refusals of entry to Ukrainian citizens entering Israel under the visa-free regime between the two countries and emphasized the need to rectify this situation.
He also mentioned that "with the approaching Jewish New Year - Rosh Hashanah - and the expected mass arrival of Hasidic pilgrims to Uman, security issues and their response to possible challenges in the face of the ongoing Russian terror with missiles and Iranian drones were discussed."